From highest to lowest in the country - What next for minimum wage policy in Alberta?
In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge explores the politics and economics of the province’s minimum wage policy. Effective October 1st, Saskatchewan’s minimum wage rises to $15.35 per hour, leaving Alberta with the lowest minimum wage in the country. In fact, Alberta’s rate has been unchanged since 2018, when the Notley NDP completed their rapid push to $15 per hour. This roller coaster has seen Alberta quickly rise to having the highest minimum wage in the country, before sliding back down to now being the lowest.But what should that number be, and how and when should the minimum wage change? Ultimately, what is the goal of minimum wage policy?Our guest this week is Joseph Marchand, professor of economics at the University of Alberta and founding director of the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research. In 2019, he was named chair of the province’s Expert Panel on Minimum Wage. We’ll get his insight on the impact of these big shifts in minimum wage policy and where we go from here.
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Edmonton Police oppose plea deal - a welcome intervention or attack on crown independence?
In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at a case in Edmonton that has made national headlines: the horrific murder of an eight-year-old girl and the very public - and controversial - opposition from Edmonton Police to a possible plea deal for the accused killer.To some, including Alberta’s premier, it’s a welcome jolt to the system and an expression of the frustration that many are feeling about perceived leniency for serious crimes. To others, though, it’s a breach of the important lines of independence that exist in our system between crown prosecutors and police and a potential slippery slope.In this episode, we’ll hear from Scott Newark, a former Alberta crown prosecutor and executive with the Canadian Police Association. We’ll also have some perspective from Deborah Hatch, an Edmonton criminal defence lawyer and Alberta director with the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers
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Does Alberta have a point? The impact of bad federal policy and signs that change is coming
In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge is joined by Heather Exner-Pirot, a Calgary-based senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and the Institute’s Director of Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment.We begin the conversation with some analysis of the recent announcement of five projects identified as being in the national interest and will now be advanced by the federal government’s new Major Projects Office. Does the inclusion of a major LNG project - and hints that a new pipeline could be in the works for the next phase of announcements - signal a new approach on energy from the federal government?Also, with word of a very productive meeting between the prime minister and Alberta’s premier, followed by word that the oil and gas emissions cap could be on the chopping block, we’ll also examine Ottawa’s evolving approach to environmental and energy policy. Alberta has repeatedly identified obstacles and irritants that need to be addressed - does Alberta have a point? And is Ottawa starting to concede that point?
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Calgary’s (lone) Liberal voice - A conversation with Corey Hogan
In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge sits down for a wide-ranging conversation with Calgary Confederation Liberal MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Corey Hogan.Despite hopes for a Liberal breakthrough in the recent federal election, Hogan was the only Liberal to prevail amid the blue Conservative sea that is Calgary and was one of only two Liberals elected in the province of Alberta.We discuss his decision to enter that pivotal campaign and how they managed to grind out a victory. We also delve into the aftermath of the campaign and the sudden prominence and responsibility that landed on Hogan as the lone Liberal MP from Calgary. Hogan also shares his thoughts on the challenges facing Alberta and the rest of the country right now and the big decisions now facing the government. Plus, Hogan addresses the Alberta-Ottawa relationship and why he felt compelled to speak out against the separatists.
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Going nuclear - Is Canada’s oil and gas heartland now poised to embrace nuclear energy?
In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge highlights a couple of unique perspectives on the question of Alberta’s nuclear future. Alberta's premier has launched a new process to explore the possibility of adding nuclear capacity to Alberta's power mix. Between a growing population and expanding electrification, Alberta’s power demand is growing. But with the province’s ambition to be a hub for AI data centres - and with Ottawa’s Clean Electricity Regulations - Alberta needs to somehow balance a massive expansion to the power grid while also keeping emissions in check. That’s where nuclear energy could come in.We’ll be joined by Scott Henuset, president and CEO of Energy Alberta - they’re hoping to build a standing nuclear power facility in northeastern Alberta. We’ll find out why they’re so optimistic about the potential for nuclear power in this province - and how they plan to overcome some of the resistance and concerns that still exist around this technology. Plus, we’ll hear from Dr. Duane Bratt, professor of political science at Mount Royal University. Part of his research focuses on Canadian nuclear policy and he also teaches on the science and politics around nuclear energy. We’ll look at the history around this conversation in Alberta and get his perspective on whether the government is really serious this time about jumping on the nuclear bandwagon.
The Line: Alberta Podcast, hosted by veteran broadcaster and columnist Rob Breakenridge, is a weekly show that takes a closer look at stories that matter to Albertans and all Canadians. For more, go to Alberta.ReadTheLine.ca.
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